Protective device

ABSTRACT

A protective device for protecting a user, having an inflatable element configured to assume at least an active inflated configuration and a deflated rest configuration. The inflatable element has a first mesh portion and a second mesh portion situated opposite each other and connected together by a plurality of tie elements arranged in a plurality of rows. The inflatable element has at least one preferential curvature and the rows of tie elements are arranged parallel to each other and are oriented transversely or orthogonally with respect to the preferential curvature.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to Italian Patent Application102020000000340 filed on Jan. 10, 2020, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to a protective device forprotection of a user. The protective device includes an inflatableelement which in the inflated condition, is designed to protect fromimpacts and/or falls a motorcycle rider, a passenger, a skier or asimilar user, during a sporting and/or working activity and/or any otheractivity.

BACKGROUND

A known protective device is for example that described in the Europeanpatent EP3291697B1. Such a device includes an inflatable elementdesigned to assume an inflated active condition and a deflated restcondition. The inflatable element includes a knitted body, namely a bodymade by means of a knitting process. Said knitted body is a closed or atleast tubular structure, defining an inner region or area or chamber.This inner chamber is occupied at least partially by a plurality ofjoining threads which connect together opposite portions of the knittedbody. The fact of providing a single knitted body has the advantage oflimiting the manufacturing waste and minimizing the production time; infact, the joining threads and meshes may be processed using a singleknitting machine. The joining threads form part of single threadconnected to the opposite portions of the knitted body. In particular,the thread passes along alternate sections and continuously between afirst portion and a second portion of the knitted body.

Preferably, the inflatable element also includes sealing walls whichallow the inflation fluid to be contained for a predetermined period oftime. The walls consist, for example, of a first sheet, or first wall,and of a second sheet, or second wall, which are fixed together alongrespective perimetral edges. Said first and second sheets cover and lineon an outer side or outer surface the knitted body.

SUMMARY

One technical problem underlying the present disclosure is that ofproviding a protective device for protecting a user, which is able toimprove further the prior art for the purposes of wearability of theprotection device. and/or achieve further advantages, and provide agarment including said personal protection device.

This problem is solved by a protective device for protecting a user, bya protective garment and by a production method for manufacturing aprotective device according to the respective independent claims.

Secondary characteristic features forming the subject of the presentdisclosure are defined in the respective dependent claims.

A protective device according to the present disclosure for protecting auser comprises an inflatable element, which is designed to assume atleast an inflated active condition and a deflated rest condition. Theinflatable element comprises a first mesh portion and a second meshportion, wherein the first mesh portion and the second mesh portion aresituated opposite each other and connected together by means of aplurality of tie elements. According to one aspect of the presentdisclosure, the inflatable element has at least one preferentialcurvature and the rows of tie elements are arranged parallel to eachother and oriented transversely or orthogonally with respect to thepreferential curvature.

Under a different o additional point of view, because of the geometryreported above, the rows of tie elements are arranged side by side andfollow next to each other along said preferential curvature or greatercurvature. In other words, the rows of tie elements are parallel to eachother and a direction going from a row to a subsequent row is along thecurvature or curve.

The preferential curvature is understood as meaning the profile of acurved form which the inflatable element has in the inflated condition.This preferential curvature may be obtained by varying the yieldingcapacity of opposite portions of the inflatable element or in anotherway so as to obtain a suitable curvature. It should also be pointed outthat the tie elements are tensioned when the inflatable element isinflated and in fact limit the inflation of the inflatable element. Inthe zone of each row of tie elements, the inflatable element has aheight or expansion less than in a zone where there are no rows of tieelements. In other words, where the tie element is present, preciselybecause of the function of the said tie element, the inflatable elementexpands less. For this reason, each row of tie elements creates a kindof hinge line or further “preferential” folding line of the inflatableelement in the inflated condition and allows the inflatable element tobe curved or folded better about said hinge line or folding axis, andtherefore allows the folding capacity of the inflatable element alongthe said preferential curvature to be further improved.

Consequently, advantageously, it is possible to envisage an inflatableelement intended to cover a given part to be protected and having athree-dimensional form, already with its preferential curvature. Theorientation or direction of each folding axis or hinge line may bechosen depending on the fold which is to be obtained. In other wordseach row of inflatable elements may be oriented along a correspondingpreferred direction so as to create a series of specific folds about theobject or body to be protected.

Preferably, the inflatable element also includes sealing walls whichallow the inflation fluid to be contained for a predetermined period oftime. The walls consist, for example, of a first sheet, or first wall,and of a second sheet, or second wall, which are fixed together alongrespective perimetral edges. Said first and second sheets cover and lineon an outer side or outer surface the mesh portions.

Preferably the inflatable element comprises a first protective operatingregion and a second protective operating region, wherein the firstprotective operating region is different or separate from said secondprotective operating region and wherein the first protective operatingregion includes a first group of tie elements which are arranged inrespective rows parallel to each other and the second operating regionincludes a second group of tie elements arranged in respective rowsparallel to each other, wherein the rows of the first group of tieelements are oriented or arranged with a different orientation or in adifferent direction with respect to the rows of the second group of tieelements. In other words, the rows of tie elements are arranged spacedfrom each other respectively in the first protective operating regionand in the second protective operating region of the inflatable elementso as to form a plurality of hinge lines and allow a broader or morevaried curvature of the inflatable element. Even more preferably, therows of inflatable elements are parallel to each other and even morepreferably spaced from each other.

In this way, when the inflatable element is inflated and each row of tieelements is tensioned, the presence of hinge lines of the first groupand the second group which are oriented differently allows more specificfolding of the inflatable element.

For example, it is possible to provide a first inflatable elementportion, defining the aforementioned first protective operating region,including a plurality of first rows oriented parallel to each other witha first orientation intended for a preferred curvature, and a secondinflatable element portion, defining the second protective operatingregion, including a plurality of second rows oriented parallel to eachother with a second orientation intended for a preferred curvature,wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation.

In order to create the hinge line, according to another preferred aspectof the present disclosure, in the condition of at least partial tension,the tie elements belonging to a same row of tie elements are arrangedsubstantially parallel to each other.

According to a preferred aspect of the present disclosure, in thecondition of at least partial tension, the tie elements extend along adirection of development substantially perpendicular to the direction ofextension of the rows of tie elements.

The fact of organizing rows of tie elements oriented differently indifferent protective zones of the inflatable element therefore allowsoptimum adjustment of the curvature of the bag and variation of thecurvature of the bag with respect to another protective region. In otherwords, a variation in the orientation of the rows of tie elements allowsa different orientation of the hinge lines and therefore adaptation ofthe curvature of the inflatable element. This advantage is particularlyuseful when the inflatable element is arranged around the human body andis curved both about a sagittal axis and about a median axis.

For example in a neck zone, i.e. on the nape between the shoulders, theinflatable element is curved preferably about hinge axes which areorthogonal to a sagittal plane. In fact, the inflatable element has ananatomical curved profile so as to bend around from the neck towards theback. The rows of tie elements are arranged parallel to a coronal orfrontal plane and to a transverse plane, and orthogonally with respectto a sagittal plane.

Consequently, in the neck zone, the rows of tie elements are arranged ina direction substantially parallel to a transverse axis of the humanbody, parallel to a coronal or frontal plane and to a transverse plane,and orthogonally with respect to a transverse plane.

In the shoulder zone, the rows of tie elements are arranged in adirection substantially parallel to a sagittal axis or plane of thehuman body, transversely or orthogonally with respect to a coronal orfrontal plane and to a transverse plane.

Also in a chest zone, the rows of tie elements are arranged in adirection substantially parallel to a sagittal axis or plane of thehuman body, transversely or orthogonally with respect to a coronal orfrontal plane.

Obviously, the orientation must be chosen depending on the nature of thebody to be protected. Also it should be noted that the rows arepreferably symmetrical with respect to a sagittal mid-plane of theuser's body so as to obtain an identical curvature in the two parts ofthe body.

The tie elements are elements able to be tensioned when the inflatableelement is in an inflated condition. In other words, a condition whereinthe inflatable element is in an inflated condition corresponds to acondition wherein the tie elements are tensioned. The tie elements canbe threads, or other elements such as stitches, tapes or similar tieelements.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the inflatable element ismade using the technology described in the patent applicationWO2017163196A1 which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Namely it consists preferably of an inflatable element withthreads, which is formed by mesh portions and walls as described in thispatent application, and even more preferably with a curved configurationdue to a varying expansion capacity of an inner side facing the user andan outer side. In particular the outer side of the inflatable elementsgives way or extends more than the inner side facing the user. As aresult of this feature, it is possible to obtain a general curvature ofthe bag in every direction, namely an unvaried curvature. In otherwords, on the outer side the inflatable element inflates in anon-varying manner. The inflatable element therefore has oppositeportions with a different yielding capacity.

Preferably, the different yielding capacity of the two opposite portionsof the inflatable element may be obtained in two different ways. In afirst way, the different yielding capacity is obtained by varying theyielding capacity or elasticity of the first mesh portion with respectto the second mesh portion. In a second way, the different yieldingcapacity is obtained by varying the yielding capacity or elasticity ofthe first wall with respect to the second wall. In fact, the oppositeportions of the inflatable element include, respectively, the first meshportion and the first wall, the second mesh portion and the second wall.Again alternatively, it is possible to vary in a specific manner theyielding capacity both of the mesh portion and the walls, namely theoverall yielding capacity of the first mesh portion and the first wall,with respect to the overall yielding capacity of the second mesh portionand the second wall.

In this way, if the inflatable element has a preferential curvature or agreater curvature along a given arc of curvature, the row of tieelements is arranged transversely with respect to said arc of curvature,preferably orthogonally with respect to the arc of curvature. In otherwords, the inflatable element has a preferential curvature such that,viewed laterally, it defines an arc of curvature contained in a plane.Each row of threads is arranged or oriented orthogonally with respect tosaid arc of curvature and this plane so as to allow in an even bettermanner the curvature of the inflatable element about each row ofthreads. For example, if the inflatable element portion has apreferential curvature from the neck towards the back, the rows of tieelements are arranged parallel to each other and are orientedorthogonally with respect to the preferential curvature, and thereforeextend in a parallel manner from the neck towards the back.

For example, if in addition to or in combination with the precedingembodiment, the inflatable element portion has a preferential curvaturefrom one side of the user's body to the other, the rows of tie elementsare arranged parallel to each other and oriented orthogonally withrespect to the preferential curvature, and therefore extend parallelfrom one side to the other side of the user's body. This aspect alsofacilitates, therefore, the curvature of the inflatable element.

Further characteristic features and modes of use forming the subject ofthe present disclosure will become clear from the following detaileddescription of a number of preferred examples of embodiment thereof,provided by way of a non-limiting example. It is nevertheless evidentthat each embodiment may have one or more of the advantages listedabove; in any case it is nevertheless not necessary that each embodimentshould have simultaneously all the advantages listed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the figures in the attached drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a protective device according to anembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line II-II ofthe protective device according to FIG. 1 with the inflation elementinflated;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view, from the front, of a protective device inthe inflated condition when worn;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view, from the rear, of a protective device inthe inflated condition when worn;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a garment including a personalprotection device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the accompanying figures, the reference number 10indicates a personal protection device according to the presentdisclosure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The personal protection device 10 comprises an inflatable element 12which is adapted to assume substantially a first rest condition ordeflated condition, and a second active condition or inflated condition.The modes of inflating the inflatable element 12 will be described inthe description below.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure the inflatable element 12has a vest-like form and is designed to surround a top zone or chest ofthe user's body. More particularly, the inflatable element includes afirst protective operating region 20 for the back of the neck and naperegion between the shoulders, a second protective operating region 21 onthe shoulders and a third protective operating region 22 on the chest.More particularly, because of the anatomy of the human body, each secondprotective operating region 21 and the third protective operating region22 are each doubled into two parts on the right and left of the humanbody in a symmetrical manner with respect to a sagittal plane.

The inflatable element 12 may be made using the technology described inpatent application PCT/IB2009/055512 and in patent applicationPCT/IT2009/000547, which are incorporated here by reference in theirentirety in the present disclosure, or more preferably using thetechnology described in patent application WO2016178143A1, or even morepreferably in patent application WO2017163196A1, which are incorporatedhere by reference in their entirety in the present disclosure. Namely itconsists preferably of an inflatable element with threads, which isformed by meshes and walls as described in these patent applications,and even more preferably with a curved configuration due to a varyingexpansion capacity of an inner side facing the user and an outer side.

The inflatable element 12 comprises a first mesh portion 18 and a secondmesh portion 19. The first mesh portion 18 and the second mesh portion19 are situated opposite each other and are connected together by aplurality of tie elements 5. The mesh portions 18, 19 are in turncovered by respective covering walls 15, 16. The tie elements 5 areorganized in rows 24, namely are arranged aligned and in sequence.

The inflatable element 12 further comprises, as mentioned, the firstprotective operating region 20, for example at the back on the nape andaround the neck, towards the back, the second protective operatingregion 21 in the shoulder region and a third protective operating region22 on the chest. The various operating portions have a preferentialcurvature C or greater curvature.

Basically, each protective operating portion has a preferentialcurvature or a greater curvature which may be obtained, as mentionedabove, by varying the yielding capacity of opposite portions of theinflatable element. For example, this may be done by varying therelative yielding capacity of the mesh portions, or the walls, or bothof them. The rows 24 of tie elements are arranged orthogonally withrespect to said preferential curvature C or greater curvature so as toassist the preferential curvature or greater curvature.

Even more particularly, In the shoulder zone, the rows 24 of tieelements are arranged in a direction substantially parallel to asagittal axis or plane of the human body, transversely or orthogonallywith respect to a coronal or frontal plane and to a transverse plane.The preferential curvature of the shoulders is indicated by C2 in FIG.3. Also in a chest zone, the rows of tie elements are arranged in adirection substantially parallel to a sagittal axis or plane of thehuman body, transversely or orthogonally with respect to a coronal orfrontal plane. The preferential curvature of the shoulders is indicatedby C3 in FIG. 3.

In a zone of the nape, where the bag is curved from the nape towards theback, the rows of elements are arranged parallel to each other andorthogonal to the sagittal plane. The preferential curvature of the napeis indicated by C1 in FIG. 4.

According to a preferred aspect of the present disclosure, a row 24 ofthe first operating region 20 is oriented differently from a row 24 ofthe second protective operating region 21 and from a row 24 of the thirdoperating region 22.

In FIG. 1 the rows 24 of tie elements 5 are shown in schematic form aslines for the purposes of illustration of the invention. Each row 24defines in fact a hinge line or axis of curvature. In this way, in theinflated condition, the inflatable element may be curved better aroundeach hinge line and so as to follow in an improved manner thepreferential curvature.

Preferably, for each protective operating region 20, 21, 22, the tieelements 5 are arranged between said mesh portion 18 and said secondmesh portion 19 which are aligned in a plurality of rows 24 of tieelements 5. The plurality of rows 24 of each group of tie elements 5 arearranged parallel to each other and one row is arranged at a distancefrom the adjacent row 24. The arrangement in rows 24 allows the foldingand curvature of the inflatable element to be better adjusted.

In order to control even better the curvature of the inflatable element,in the active condition, when the inflatable element 12 is in theinflated condition, the tie elements 5 are parallel to each other in therespective row 24 and substantially orthogonal to the direction of therow. The rows are preferably shorter in the edge zone, namely theygradually decrease in length towards the edge zone.

A first group of tie elements 5 is therefore obtained in the neck zone,a second group of tie elements 5 is obtained in the shoulder zone, and athird group of tie elements 5 is obtained in the chest zone.

With regard to the inflatable element 12 it may be made as in theaforementioned cited international patent applications. Moreparticularly, the term “tie element 5” is understood as meaning anelement or body having the function of keeping joined together orfastened or fixed, by means of its tensile stress, two or more parts ofthe inflatable element 12, at least when the latter is in the inflatedcondition.

In the example, the tie elements 5 have a thread-like form and areflexible and inextensible elements. Therefore, they are suitablydesigned in terms of dimensions such that, when the inflatable element12 is in the rest condition, they are preferably not subject totensioning and are collapsed inside the inner chamber 3, whereas whenthe inflatable element 12 is in the inflated condition they aretensioned.

The inflatable element comprises opposite walls 15, 16 which areperimetrally joined together along the edges. More particularly, theinflatable element 12 comprises a textile structure comprising theaforementioned tie elements 5 and the two opposite mesh portions 18, 19,each of which lines internally, namely on the inner chamber 3 side, arespective wall 15, 16. Basically, a textile structure 40 formed by twomeshes 18, 19 is arranged inside the zone between the two walls 15, 16and each mesh is preferably fixed to the respective wall 15, 16.

Even more particularly, in order to provide the inflatable element withstructural stability, each mesh 18, 19 is stably fixed to the surface ofthe respective wall 15, 16, preferably by means of a film of glue orlayer of glue, as described hereinbelow. Considered from another pointof view, the inflatable element 2 has a substantially double-shellstructure, in which each shell corresponds to a wall 15, 16 and arespective mesh 18, 19. The first mesh 18 and the second mesh 19 have,in the inflated condition, a surface area which differs from each other,for example the second mesh 19 has a surface area or expansion capacitywhich is smaller than that of the first mesh 18. In order to obtain thisdifferent surface area the second mesh may be made of a material whichis less elastic or less yielding (more resistant to tensile force) thanthe first mesh 18. Alternatively or in combination with this embodiment,the first wall 15 or the second wall 16 have, in the inflated condition,surface areas different from each other, for example the second wall 16has a surface area which is smaller than that of the first wall 15 andis made of a material which is less elastic or less yielding. Forexample, the first mesh 18 and/or the first wall 15 may be made with ayarn different from that of the second mesh 19 and/or the second wall16, respectively, for example a more elastic or yielding yarn. Thedifferent yarns are not shown in the drawings. Alternatively again, thesecond mesh 19 and/or the second wall 16 may be made using the samematerial, but with a denser weft than the first mesh 18 and/or therespective first wall 15 during knitting and therefore have a smallerextension capacity than the first mesh 18. The different mesh affectsthe different yielding capacity of the two parts.

The two meshes 18, 19 are joined together along the respective perimeterby means of stitching or by means of another connection system, asdescribed in international patent application WO 2010-067288 A1 , whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in the presentdisclosure.

As can be seen in the figures, the walls 15, 16 may be broader than themeshes 18, 19 and may be further joined together along the perimeter.

Each of the two walls 15, 16 or sheets may be made of a laminatematerial, such as that described in WO 2010-067288 A1, or athermoplastic polyurethane or TPU. For example, in the case of TPU, thewalls 15, 16 are made of a TPU layer 15 a (which, for example,represents between about 45% and 65% by weight, preferably between 48%and 55% by weight, and even more preferably about 50% by weight of thelaminate) and a layer 15 b with the function of a glue or adhesive(which represents approximately the remaining part by weight of thelaminate), in the example a layer of polyurethane (not thermoplastic)glue distributed over the TPU layer 15 a by means of roller spreading orsimilar distribution technology. In the example shown, it thereforeconsists of a sheet which, before fixing to the mesh 18, 19, is formedby TPU+PU and overall has a thickness, for example, of 200 microns.

As mentioned above, in the example, the tie elements 5 are flexible tieelements and have the form of threads and are made for example ofpolyester or polyamide, with a thickness of between about 500 and about1000 decitex (units of length of a continuous thread or a yarn) and haveends 5 a, 5 b which are fixed to the respective wall portions 18, 19which they connect. Even more particularly, each tie element or thread 5includes a bundle of continuous untwisted fibres which emerge from asingle point of a respective mesh 18, 19.

The tie elements 5 have opposite ends 5 a, 5 b which are stably fixed tothe mesh 18, 19 of the respective wall 18, 19. Fixing at the oppositeends 5 a, 5 b of the tie elements 5 is, for example, performed by meansof simple insertion of tie elements 5 between the wefts of the mesh 18,19. Basically, in the example shown in the figures, the tie elements 5are obtained by a given number of threads which are fixed alternately toone mesh 18 and consecutively to the other mesh 19. In other words, eachthread 5 is inserted underneath a weft of the mesh 19 of the wall 16, iscurved upwards and extends again towards the opposite wall 15, where itis connected in the same way to the mesh 18. Alternatively, the tieelements 5 are connected to the mesh 18, 19 by means of interweaving orby means of tying or similar fixing systems.

The set of two meshes 18 and 19 and the tie elements 5 forms a fabric ofthe so-called three-dimensional 3D or double needle-bed type.

The meshes 18 and 19 may also be made of polyester or polyamide.

The present disclosure also relates to a protective garment 30comprising a protective device 10 as defined above. For example itconsists of a skier's suit.

With regard to inflation, in order to perform inflation of theinflatable element 12, in the event of a sudden fall and/or slidingand/or an impact involving a user or a vehicle being ridden/driven, theprotective device 10 is adapted to cooperate with special activationmeans (not shown) which are operationally connected for example to acylinder 50 containing compressed cold gas, such as helium. The cylindermay be provided with a respective shut-off valve (not shown).

Alternatively, the inflation fluid source may comprise gas generatorspreferably of the pyrotechnic or other hybrid type or other types knownaccording to the state of the art.

Opening of the shut-off valve of each inflation cylinder is preferablycontrolled by a control unit depending on the detection of the state ofthe vehicle/rider system; for example said control unit may implement asystem for predicting the fall which allows early identification of thefall event and a reliable prediction of this event by means ofaccelerometer sensors fixed to the skis or to the skier and a unit forprocessing the signals produced by the said sensors.

Alternatively, the device according to the present disclosure may alsobe applied using an activation cable connected to a vehicle ridden by auser, which cable activates inflation of the inflatable elementfollowing the movement of the user away from the vehicle, for examplefollowing a fall or a sudden impact. Use of a cable is employed inparticular in the horse-riding sector.

In any case the aforementioned activation and inflation means may beincorporated in the protection device according to the present inventionor located on the outside thereof.

It should also be noted that the activation modes, although being anaspect of particular importance for effective operation of the device,will not be further described in greater detail since they are methodswhich are essentially already known to a person skilled in the art ofprotection of a person from sudden impacts.

The subject-matter of the present disclosure has been described hithertowith reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is to be understoodthat other embodiments relating to the same inventive idea may exist,all of these falling within the scope of protection of the claims whichare illustrated hereinbelow.

1. A protective device for protection of a user, said protective devicecomprising an inflatable element configured to assume at least aninflated active configuration and a deflated rest configuration, saidinflatable element comprising a first mesh portion and a second meshportion, wherein said first mesh portion and said second mesh portionare situated opposite each other and are connected to each other by aplurality of tie elements; the tie elements are arranged in a pluralityof rows; the inflatable element has at least one preferential curvature;and i) the rows of the tie elements are arranged parallel to each otherand oriented transversely or orthogonally with respect to thepreferential curvature and/or ii) the rows of the tie elements arearranged parallel to each other and a direction going from a row to asubsequent row is along said preferential curvature.
 2. The protectivedevice according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element comprises afirst protective operating region and a second protective operatingregion, the first protective operating region is different or separatefrom said second protective operating region, the first protectiveoperating region includes a first group of tie elements arranged inrespective rows parallel to each other, the second operating regionincludes a second group of tie elements arranged in respective parallelrows, and the rows of the first group of tie elements are oriented orarranged with a different orientation or in a different direction withrespect to the rows of the second group of tie elements.
 3. Theprotective device according to claim 1, wherein the tie elementsbelonging to the same row of tie elements are arranged substantiallyparallel to each other and wherein the tie elements, in a condition ofat least partial tension, extend along a direction of developmentsubstantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the rows oftie elements.
 4. The protective device according to claim 1, wherein thedevice is an inflatable device, and wherein when the inflatable elementis arranged around the human body said preferential curvature is acurvature both i) around a sagittal axis and ii) around a median axisand/or a transverse axis.
 5. The protective device according to claim 4,wherein the inflatable element, or a portion thereof, when arrangedaround the human body, is curved about hinge axes orthogonal to asagittal plane and the rows of the tie elements are oriented along anaxis orthogonal to the sagittal plane, parallel to a coronal plane andto a transverse plane.
 6. The protective device of claim 5, wherein theinflatable element is arranged around a nape area.
 7. The protectivedevice according to claim 4, wherein the inflatable element or a portionthereof, when arranged around the human body, is curved about hinge axesparallel to a sagittal axis of the human body, transversely ororthogonally with respect to a coronal plane and to a transverse plane.8. The protective device of claim 7, wherein the inflatable element isarranged in a shoulder area.
 9. The protective device according to claim4, wherein the inflatable element or a portion thereof, when arrangedaround the human body, is curved about hinge axes parallel to a sagittalaxis of the human body, transversely or orthogonally with respect to acoronal plane.
 10. The protective device according to claim 1, furthercomprising an external protective covering comprising at least a firstwall and a second wall, wherein said first mesh portion internally linessaid first wall and said second mesh portion internally lines saidsecond wall.
 11. The protective device according to claim 10, wherein,in order to obtain said preferential curvature, said first mesh portionhas a yielding capacity different from that of said second mesh portion.12. The protective device according to claim 10, wherein, in order toobtain said preferential curvature, said first wall has a yieldingcapacity different from that of said second wall.
 13. The protectivedevice according to claim 1, wherein the protective device is a wearabledevice.
 14. A garment including the protective device according to claim1.